Boot with reinforced toe structure



Nov. 1, 1949 K. L. KEENE 2,486,953

BOOT 'ITH REINFORQEDI'OE STRUCTURE Filed lay 2', 1946 IN VEN TOR.

$.01 34! I [(61722 {A Z. Xeezze 1i I f m Patented Nov. 1, 1949 2,486,953 7 com wrrn REINFORCED TOE STRUCTURE Kenneth L. Keene,

Company, Mishawaka,

Indiana Mishawaka, Ind., assignor to Mishawaka Rubber and Woolen Manufacturing Ind., a corporation of Application May 2, 1946, Serial No. 666,764

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to footwear and has reference more particularly to a construction whereby those portions of boots and shoes which are subjected to severe or excessive bending strains in use may be adequately reinforced to readily withstand such bending strains and the flexibility thereof improved.

Particular difliculty has been experienced in safety boot and shoe structures, especially of rubber footwear types in avoiding premature breakdown thereof along the rear of the safety toe insert, and this invention is particularly advantageous in overcoming this difficulty.

In such rubber boot or shoe structures a rigid toe covering insert, usually of metal, is built into the toe portion of the boot or shoe to protect the toes and, as a result thereof, the toe flexing which takes place in walking is concentrated immediately behind the metal toe covering insert in substantially a hinge action which soon causes breakdown of the rubber and fabric at that place.

A heavier reinforcing fabric cannot be employed as this imparts greater stiffness where flexibility is particularly desired. I have found however, that if a reinforcing of cords is employed, with the cords embedded in rubber in adjoining parallel relation and extending down the instep portion of the boot and underneath the metal toe insert, this previous difficulty of breakdown immediately behind the metal toe covering is completely avoided.

It is an important object of my invention, therefore, to provide an improved construction of rubber boot with safety toe wherein premature breakdown of the boot wall along the rear of the safety toe insert is avoided. Other objects are to provide a boot reinforcing of such flexibility that it is suitable portion of the boot or elsewhere where easy flexing is required and also having such strength that it will readfly withstand severe and excesfor use in the vamp and toe Y sive bending strains such as imposed thereon in the vamp and toe portions of safety toe boot structures; to provide a reinforcing of this character which is readfly incorporated in footwear at any desired location without change in the method of manufacture or increase in cost; and to incorporate the reinforcing in the boot in a manner to insure a snug fit and facilitate the application and removal of the boot-these and other objects being accomplished as pointed out more fully hereinafter and as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a rubber boot embodying my invention, with portions of the outer surface removed to show certain details of the constructlon;

-tion l2 and a metal Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the toe portion of the boot of Fig. 1, and with a part broken away to show details of the construction in section.

Fig. -3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 3-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l with an intermediate portion broken away.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a type of boot to which my invention is particularly applicable, the reference numeral l0 indicates the boot upper as a whole which comprises a closed tubular leg portion II and a foot portion 12 and is composed of a with fabric. A conventional rubber sole l4 and heel l5 are secured to the bottom of the foot portoe covering insert it is interposed between the rubber facing and the fabric lining at the toe portion of the boot and at its front and sides extends down to and is secured onto the sole H in the usual manner so as to be retained firmly in place thereon to sustain any impact that otherwise might injure the toes.

The lining of the boot upper around the inside of the leg portion H and within the foot portion 12 down to the line I! of Fig. 1, which said lining is indicated at i8, is of knitted fabric, such as stockinet, with the wales thereof running up and down the boot so that it stretches appreciably in a direction circumferentially of the boot upper, and. the rubber boot exterior IS on this stockinet lining is sufficiently extensible so that the upper. above the line H, stretches quite readily in inserting the foot into the boot and withdrawing ittherefrom and accordingly may be made to fit the leg and foot quite snugly.

Forwardly of the line H, however, the lining, indicated at I9, is of square woven cotton fabric such as a light weight duck, preferably rubberized, which is practically non-stretchy and quite strong, and this lining underlies and conforms to the metal toe covering insert l6 and beyond the metal toe insert conforms to the boot instep which is shaped to fit the foot quite closely.

Because the lining I9 is non-stretchy and the portion of the boot instep within which it is located is likewise substantially non-stretchy, this lining is extended only part way up the instep (about two-thirds of the way as shown) so that it terminates well below the ankle bend which accordingly is lined with the stockinet l8 and is stretchy so that it yields circumferentially toadmit the foot and may be sufficiently snug fitting to hold the boot firmly on the foot.

Because the stockinet lining I8 is thus exrubber exterior l3 linedtended down beyond the ankle bend, it is made of two pieces Joined together at the front as indicated at 20 preferably by a joining tape 2| and at the rear as indicated at 22 by overlapping, these two side pieces of the lining l8 being shaped at the front to afl'ord the required fullness to conform freely to the ankle bend curvature and the upper part of the instep.

The toe instep lining I9 is joined along the rear edge to the stockinet lining I8 along the line H, the forward edge of the stockinet lining l8 being preferably lapped over the rear margin of the instep lining l9 at the inside thereof as in-- dicated at 23 in Fig. 4.

The various parts composing the boot upper III are combined by vulcanization into a substantially unitary assembly in the finished boot and by reason thereof the toe portion of the upper within which the metal insert I6 is located is so rigid that toe flexing of the upper that occurs in walking takes place entirely at the rear of the toe covering insert Hi. This toe flexing'is concentrated immediately along the rear edge of the toe insert l6 insubstantially a hinge action which imposes such severe strains that such boots, as heretofore constructed, broke down prematurely at this place.

Obviously, it is essential that the instep and ankle portion of the boot be quite flexible so as to bend freely in walkin and in order to maintain the required flexibilty and at the same time afford ample strength to withstand the constant bending of the toe portion at the rear of the metal insert it, I incorporate in the instep and toe portion of theupper a layer composed of parallel cords 24 laid up in adjoining side by side relation in or on rubber 25 and extending lengthwise of the instep as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

This'layer of cords 24 is interposed between the lining l9 and rubber facing I 3 and extends substantially from the upper edge I! of the lining IS a substantial distance under the metal toe insert It, for example to the 'point indicated at 26 in Fig. 2, and also extends substantially throughout the width of the lining l9 so that the entire toe and vamp portion from the junction line I! down to the point 26 is reinforced with this cord layer.

Cotton cords 24 such as used in cord tires have been found satisfactory, although cords of rayon or nylon may be employed for greater strength if desired, and preferably this cord layer 24, 25

is covered on the outside with a thin sheet 21 of rubber, especially if the outer rubber facing I3 is produced by dipping, so as to provide a smooth surface for the outer rubber layer and avoid any hill and dale eilfect on the outer surface of the finished boot thatmight otherwise occur.

A filler 28 of rubber and fabric is interposed between the cord layer 2!, 25 and the outer rubber facing 13, along the rear edge of the metal toe insert I 6 as shown in Fig. 2 and feathered at its rear edge to neatly fill the space beyond the metal toe insert rear edge, and after the parts have all been assembled on a last in the usual manner and the rubber surfacing II has been applied, either by dipping or otherwise, the entire boot structure is vulcanized, thereby consolidating the lining l8; l9, facing l3 and all interposed parts into a substantially unitary assembly. A

Thus, the cords 24 are embedded in rubber between and consolidated with the lining I9 and facing l3, and it has been found that when thus incorporated in the boot toe and instep, they 4 not only impart ample strength to prevent breakdown of the upper at the rear of the metal toe insert but in addition they provide exceptional flexibility so that the boot bends quite easily in walking.

Because of the flexibility of the corded layer 24, 25 and the strength thereof to withstand bending strains, such layer may also be used advantageously for reinforcing the boot around the heel and up the back.

Thus, a similar layer with upwardly extending cords 29 may be employed at the rear of the boot which extends around the-rear of the boot and forwardly at each side thereof to a line 30, said layer being interposed'between the lining l8 and the outer rubber facing I 3 at this place and consolidated therewith in the same manner that the layer 24, 25 is incorporated in the instep portion of the boot.

Thus, the rear of the boot is greatly strength ened against bending strains and at the same time a more flexible construction is assured which contributes greatly to the comfort and durability of the boot.

Moreover, although the instep boot wall from the line I! forwardly is su stantially non-stretchy and close fitting, the foot may be readily inserted and removed from the boot because the upper is sufficiently stretchy down to the line IT to permit stretching at the ankle bend and furthermore the added flexibility of the rear of the boot also contributes to greater ease in applying the boot on and removing it from the foot.

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I am aware that various changes and modifications in addition to those indicated above may be made without departing from the principles of my invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a safety toe boot the combination of a boot upper comprising a facing of vulcanized compound and a fabric lining, a sole vulcanized to the bottom of the upper, a rigid metal toe protector conforming to the toe portion of the upper and secured between the upper and lining, and

KENNETHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 170,767 Pienovi Dec. 7, 1875 1,729,236 Wray Sept. 24, 1929 1,826,645 Berquist Oct. 6, 1931 1,837,518 Blair Dec. 22, 1931 1,971,456 Manville nug.'28, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 755,421 France Sept. 11, 1933 

